From the Guidelines
Gripe water is not recommended as an effective treatment for infant colic or digestive discomfort, and its efficacy is not supported by scientific evidence. The provided evidence focuses on the management of infectious diarrhea and dehydration, and does not mention gripe water as a recommended treatment 1. In fact, the guidelines recommend oral rehydration solution (ORS) as the first-line therapy for mild to moderate dehydration in infants, children, and adults with acute diarrhea from any cause (strong, moderate) 1.
Key Points to Consider
- The safety and efficacy of ORS have been evaluated in multiple studies, and it is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the first line of rehydration 1.
- Gripe water, on the other hand, is not regulated by the FDA as a medication, and its ingredients vary widely between brands, which can pose risks to infants.
- For infants with colic or digestive discomfort, safer evidence-based approaches include gentle rocking, white noise, swaddling, probiotics (particularly Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938), or changes to feeding techniques.
- Some infants may benefit from eliminating cow's milk from the diet if breastfeeding mothers avoid dairy or switching to a hypoallergenic formula.
Recommendations
- Parents should consult a pediatrician before giving any supplement to an infant, as some gripe water formulations may contain alcohol, sugar, or other potentially problematic ingredients that could pose risks to infants.
- ORS is the recommended treatment for dehydration, and gripe water should not be used as a substitute.
- Further research is needed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of gripe water, but currently, there is insufficient scientific evidence to support its use as an effective treatment for infant colic or digestive discomfort.
From the Research
Efficacy of Gripe Water
- The efficacy of gripe water in treating infant colic is a topic of debate, with some studies suggesting it may be effective, while others find no significant benefit 2, 3.
- A systematic review of 15 community-based studies found a wide variation in prevalence of colic in infants, and included gripe water as one of the interventions for colic, but did not provide conclusive evidence on its effectiveness 2.
- A cross-sectional study of 335 mothers found that 64.18% of them administered gripe water to their infants, believing it helps in digestion and prevents stomach ache, but the study also found that gripe water administration was associated with infantile colic, vomiting, and constipation 3.
- Another study found that simethicone, an ingredient often found in gripe water, is no more effective than placebo in treating infantile colic 4.
- A systematic review of medical and conventional therapies for infantile colic found that there is little scientific evidence to support the use of gripe water, and that its use may be associated with misconceptions among mothers 5.
- However, a real-world evaluation of a simeticone suspension, which is often used in gripe water, found that it was associated with improvements in symptoms of infant colic, with 69.7% of respondents reporting improvements within one day 6.